Published US Patent Application Pub. No. 2011/0047919 provides a background of anchoring systems. Portions of US Patent Application Pub. No. 2011/0047919 are incorporated below. US Patent Application No. 2011/0047919 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In the past, anchoring systems have taken a variety of configurations. The construction of a steel frame of a commercial or residential building, to which masonry veneer is attached, uses steel studs with insulation installed outboard of the steel stud framing. Steel anchors and ties attach the outer masonry wythe to the inner steel stud framing by screwing or bolting an anchor to a steel stud. Steel is an extremely good conductor of heat. The use of steel anchors attached to steel framing draws heat from the inside of a building through the exterior sheathing and insulation, towards the exterior of the masonry wall. US Patent Application No. 2011/0047919 recognizes that in order to maintain high insulation values, a thermal break or barrier is needed between the steel framing and the outer wythe.